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MOORESVILLE, NC — A possible child predator was caught on camera in the Morrison Plantation area Wednesday. Parents believe he was trying to lure children to his car.
Surveillance footage shows one little boy running away from the strange man who was coaxing him closer with candy.
“Was he going to flash them?” questioned Darren Mulholland. “You don’t know in a situation like that. Was he going to grab one of them?”
Mulholland is so startled by what happened, he asked WCCB to hide his nine-year-old’s identity, but he allowed us to talk to the boy about the encounter.
“I was riding my bike with my friend over there, and this guy came up to us,” said the little boy. “He said were we making any trouble, and we said no. And he said, ‘Do you want any candy?’ and he said, ‘I got some in my car.’ and we’re like, ‘No, thanks.'”
The boy was just steps from his home with his neighbor in the busy neighborhood. The man was still bold enough to drive up and insist over and over that the boys take his candy. The child’s dad has cameras all around his home. The video shows a black car approaching the intersection. At that point, the white car’s driver gave up.
“He looked up and saw the other car, and he said, ‘Just kidding,’ and he laughed and drove away,” said the little boy.
Police want to talk to the driver of that black car to try and get a description of the white car’s driver.
“I am reluctant to say at this time that a crime was committed, but the incident is certainly suspicious and we are looking into it,” said Major Bryan Anderson.
“We are trying to establish the individual’s identity and locate the reported vehicle, but there were no other reports made of this activity.”
“I wonder if that car hadn’t come down the street, what level that would have gotten to,” said Mulholland.
He called police and posted his video on Facebook to warn other parents.
For now, the little boys are still confused by the candy bit.
“He sounded nice, but I don’t know for sure,” said the victim.
His father is just relieved his son got away.
“They’re still young and vulnerable,” said Mulholland.
Police tell parents that it’s important to practice these scenarios with your children. Tell them not to talk to strangers and to run for help if approached.
